


Binding: Cadaver's story

by MfArtCat



Category: HLVRAI - Fandom, Half-Live VR But The AI Is Self Aware
Genre: AU of an AU of an AU, Body Horror, Found Family, Gore, Horror, Human Characters, Hurt/Comfort, Inhuman characters, Other, Psychological Horror, Violence, trans/non-binary characters, xe/xem pronouns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 23:09:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29865498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MfArtCat/pseuds/MfArtCat
Summary: A week goes by since Skull stepped through the portal onto Xen; a week of change and growth, and finding a new home. Only one thing left to do to seal the deal. But what will the price be? Is xe ready for it?
Relationships: Cadaver & Pandora, Cadaver & Xen, Skull & Pandora, Skull & Xen
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2
Collections: Xenian AU





	Binding: Cadaver's story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [themarginalartist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/themarginalartist/gifts).



> A short fic based off of a group rp... based off an au... that was based on an au.

Skull is old. Older than all of the being’s under xyr watch combined tenfold. And xe is tired. A bone deep ache not just from the changes of the past week weighs xyr eyelids down, but could never make them close. Xyr instincts to keep watch, protect, stay alert, never rest, has kept xem from sleep for longer than xe can remember. 

It’s a blessing and a curse. Xe can get so much done and it’s saved xyr live more times than Xe can count… But the tiredness has aged xem. 

Today it is a blessing. Xe has kept watch over xyr new family as they slept, and the tiredness welcomes what Xe figures is to come. 

–

The monster of a man perks when xe spies Xen returning home, tails waving on their own like a dog happy to see its master when they get home from work. Skull greets xem and rises from xyr post, following xem inside the cave after a deep body wide stretch and a toothy yawn. 

Xen has brought them all food to share, as xe has for the past week. As the others dig in, the avatar of the goddess turns to xem. “Skull. You shall be the first to the Binding. Finish eating and then we are off.” Xe says in a firm tone before turning to fetch Voxis from his hut; he had promised to watch the unbound and the three original children while xe is busy. 

Skull nods, honestly thankful to go first, and grabs xemself a couple fruit from the pile of food. Xe is an obligate carnivore. Always has been since xyr first change. Always will be. But xe can’t bring xyrself to indulge in meat. The sour-sweetness of fruit is too alluring. And the taste of blood reminds xem too much of a terrible memory long since forgotten. 

Once finished, Skull takes a moment to clean xemself, finishing as their new parent returns. 

“I am ready.” Skull states as xe stands. 

“Good.” The avatar smiles. ”Follow me.”

And Xe does, nose to tail as they both venture out of the cave, walking in silence for a time before arriving at another cave. Xen looks back to Skull before pressing forward into the darkness. The light from Xen’s glowing stripes and patterns guides the way deep into the mountain, until they come upon an opening. 

Skull has to stop and marvel for a moment at the beauty of the cave. It’s like they stepped into the inside of a massive geode, and all the crystal spires and gems glitter in the dim light cast by Xen… and a giant golden spire at its center. 

“Beautiful is it not?” The goddess speaks in a mystical tone, fondly watching Skull as xe waits by the largest crystal. “When my consciousness awoke and took form, this is where it began. This cave consists of every crystal in my dimension. But most important of all is the yellow one. This crystal calls to me and all those who inhabit this plane.”

"It is... wow..." Xe speaks softly, as if scared to disturb such a sacred place. Skull slowly takes it all in before xyr eyes fall on the golden yellow crystal and xe tilts their head ever so slightly. "That one?" 

It’s no surprise really. Xe could hear the hum of crystal songs in this plane since before xe arrived through the portal. It’s what drew xem in. And this crystal seems to resonate with the being next to it. 

Xen nods. “Yes this one.”

It is the largest crystal in the room, stretching from floor to ceiling. Taller than Xen stands. Xe step toward it and gesture for you to follow xem.

Skull immediately steps forward as Xe beckons xem, but pauses again at xyr next words. 

“Child... You are unlike the others that will become your siblings... You were created by another power, a mother I do not know. If you complete this binding to me, that mother may never take you back in their arms. Are you prepared for that loss?”

Skull just looks up to Xen, concern and confusion etched across xyr face. Something deep inside xem is tugged, and the eye on xyr chest blinks away a black tear. 

"I... I don't remember being created… or who created me... I've just known I was... different. Since before I could remember." Xe says slowly, pondering deeply at Xe looks away, but just for a moment.

With a harsh chuff, Xe sets Xyr brows and looks back to xen, walking the rest of the way over with an air and expression of conviction. "I can not mourn what I do not remember. For as long as I've lived you are the only one to be any sort of parent, or friend, to me. You have my body and soul to make yours." Xe says with a bow of xyr head.

Xen smiles softly before xyr expression turns serious.

“The binding process requires death to take you. Are you prepared for that?”

"Of course." Xe answers, with no hesitation. 

Death is nothing new to xem. Xe had seen it, and experienced it throughout xyr time at black mesa. And after hearing the young ones and Xen xyrself speak of it... Xe had already thought long and hard about it, accepting xyr fate. 

"Though I would be lying if I said I'm not nervous…” Xe admits after a beat, elf ears lowering a tad. “…will you kill me?"

Xen nods and bends down to pluck a small shard of the yellow crystal out from a cluster at the spire’s base. Xe holds it close, making it glow in xyr palm before meeting Skull’s eyes.

“Yes,” xyr voice is serious, but soft in a calming way, ”your death will be by my hands. I promise I will be gentle, my child. You will feel Death call to you... But you need to listen for mine instead, understood?”

"Understood." Skull nods and closes xyr eyes, sitting obediently by the crystal with xyr tails wrapped around xyr paws as xe waits. Arms framing the large red vertical eye on xyr puffed out chest.

The eye looks up at Xen, a black glittery substance leaking out like tears. But Skull’s face is at peace. 

Xen takes a moment to gaze at the eye, mixed feelings swirling inside xem, before Xe leans in, pressing the shard against Skull’s chest just above the eye.

Xe places a loving kiss to Skull’s head. Xe nearly melts into it. “See you soon my child.”

**_CRACK_ **

There is a loud snap as xe breaks xyr neck, and stabbing the crystal shard deep into xyr chest just before Skull goes limp in Xen’s arms.

_ “Focus on the call of the crystal my child... just focus on the call... and come to me…” _

–

**_“… Come… to me…”_ **

Skull slowly lifts xyr head from xyr spot in a warm beam of s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡u̶͖̖͆̊̈́͡͡n̸͐̈́͟͟͝l̶҉̰͚͖͕̍̈́̅͗̏̇͢͜͜͝i҉̧̯̤̙͔̑ͧ̅̔ͦ́͜͟͢͝͠g̷̵̸̡̼̱͎͎̞ͤͬ̅͢͟͞h̷̶̘̘̬ͭ̏͞͡t҉̷҉̢͖͔̹͛̌͊͘͜͢͠͡͡

Wait… no… there’s no light here. Just darkness. Endless darkness. And a feeling of drowning underwater. 

**_“… to me… come to me…”_ **

Skull shoots up to xyr feet and perk xyr ears towards the voice. Xen! Xe needs to get to Xen! Warmth and happiness fills xem as Xe takes the first step forward. But xe’s met with resistance, a sharp painful tug that pulls him back. 

Shocked, Xe whips around only to see a mirror. Giant. Imposing. Decorated with the language of the old gods and many many eyes that stare down into xyr soul, laying them bare and burning xyr mind and chest the longer Xe looks at them. 

Shaking Xyr head from the pain, xyr eye catches something else. 

The bipedal form they held before accepting Xen’s changes. Androgynous, thin, six dainty arms and two tiny paws, a permanent scowl with xyr head bowed under the weight of xyr broken halo horns, symbolic of Xyr acceptance of xyr ties to an unholy diety. The long wavy purple hair tied back like some cartoon character in twin ponytails… ugh, why did Xe used to look so effeminate?

**_“Come… to me…”_ **

Both visages perk xyr ears, turning towards the sound of Xen’s voice. 

Skull turns to follow it without a thought. 

_ “Stop.” _

And Xe does, turning back to the mirror. 

_ “Where are you going? Mother is waiting for us.”  _

Xe winces at the voice. Even that sounds higher pitched. Is this what •••••• felt before transitioning? 

……What?

“I don’t… I don’t know who Mother is. I belong to Xen.” 

_ “We’ve been gone for a long time. Longer than Black Mesa.” _

“I’d imagine…”

_ “She’s calling for us.” _

“Who?”

_ “Mother.” _ At the word a pair of well manicured hands slide onto the biped’s shoulders, arms wrapping around its neck in a gentle hug.  _ ”She wants to see us again. She sent •• and •••••• to fetch us but-“ _

**_“You never came back.”_ **

Her voice is soft but overwhelming, taking over his own voice from the mirror, and the sadness impregnating it feels like an icy shot through the eye on xyr chest, followed by a wave of mourning and a pressure like no other, making Skull fall to his knees and tears well up in his true eyes. 

Through bleary eyes Xe sees a woman come into view from the darkness and entwine her arms around Skull’s old bipedal form. A woman not unlike Xen, with green grey skin, a single piercing yellow eye, soft motherly features, elegant horns, and a mass of curly green and purple hair littered with flowers and leaves from her home. Glowing green and gold vines are etched into her skin and ending in a different jungle flower on the back of each of her ten hands wrapped around xem. 

_ Pandora.  _ Xyr mind supplies them. 

Xe could almost feel those arms wrapped around xem, too. 

**_“I tried calling for you again and again… but you never answered…”_** large glittering gold tinted tears well up in her one visible eye, spilling freely down her cheek and staining the skin with gold dust. 

“…”

**_“Please, my son… come home to me. Your brothers and I miss you…”_ ** she reaches out a hand, then another, pressing her palms to the glass. 

“…I…”

**_“Please…”_** Her soft voice wavers, tears falling heavier in fear. 

“I… I…” skull lets out a choked sob and collapses, head bowed low until xyr horns rest on the ground beneath xem. Hot acidic tears fall from xyr eyes, burning xyr flesh but Xe is unable to stop. “I c-can’t…” it’s barely above a whisper, and broken between shaking sobs. ”I’m-I’m n-not your s-s-son anymore… he-he’s…he’s gone…”

An all encompassing wail filled with heartache and loss rings out, draining all warmth from this limbo and shaking the mirror until a crack forms along the middle.

**_“DON’T LEAVE ME, MY CHILD, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!”_ **

The raw emotion in the cry of a mother losing her child…

**_“D҉̣͍̓̎͗͜͜O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝N̵҉̾͟͞͡’T҉̘͙͖̠̓ͦ͑̄͜͜͟͞ L̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠V̶̝̐͟͟͝E҉̰̰͎̆͞ M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅE҉̰̰͎̆͞!!”_ **

“I’m sorry…” skull whispers, tensing every muscle in xyr body against the pain of the words. 

**_“N̵҉̾͟͞͡O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝ N̵҉̾͟͞͡O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝ N̵҉̾͟͞͡O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝ P҉̷̧̥͚̣̉̓̕͟͜͠͞͠͝ͅL̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠Ṡ̷̢̫̞̻͈͋͛̓̅͜͜͜͠͠͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞ Ṡ̷̢̫̞̻͈͋͛̓̅͜͜͜͠͠͠K҉̿ͭ͘͜U̵̶̸̹̮̹̲̻͙̎ͪͣͦ͜͡͞͡͡L̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠L̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠ P҉̷̧̥͚̣̉̓̕͟͜͠͞͠͝ͅL̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠Ṡ̷̢̫̞̻͈͋͛̓̅͜͜͜͠͠͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞ D҉̣͍̓̎͗͜͜O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝N̵҉̾͟͞͡’T҉̘͙͖̠̓ͦ͑̄͜͜͟͞ L̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠V̶̝̐͟͟͝E҉̰̰͎̆͞ M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅE҉̰̰͎̆͞!!!”_ **

She wails again and again, beating against the glass with all ten fists, claws scratching at it without any use. 

And all too soon the screaming stops. 

It takes a few minutes longer for xem to stop Xyr tears and look up to see xyr bipedal form pressed menacingly against the glass. 

_ “You don’t remember who you are…” _ xyr voice snarls through the glass, making it vibrate with each growl.  _ “Well… let me remind you.” _

The form takes a deep breath and huffs on the glass. The fog from it spreads until it coats the entire thing corner to corner. Suddenly the fog starts to shift…

—

There’s a little boy with long black hair in a child’s dress, no older than four, giggling and running around on an old looking farm. Zig zagging around while chasing and being chased by chickens. 

_ “No…” _

It shifts to a scene of his parents killing all of them for some sort of ritual he wasn’t supposed to see. One where adults eat the meat raw once the animal is bled. 

_ “Please…” _

The same child is seen cuddling a cat. 

Another ritual scene. 

He had grown attached to the farm hound. 

Another ritual. 

_ “…Stop…” _

It goes on like this. Flashing images and memories, scenes of gore and beaten for crying over it. 

At about 8 his parents dragged him to one of the rituals. Sat him down. Made him say the chants… gave him the knife… and laid down a human on the altar. 

For years the iron tang never left his mouth. 

Until he too was laid on the altar, bound by iron shackles, struggling and screaming until his throat went raw. 

He was 12 when he died the first time. 

And then there was Mother. 

An old goddess from long before humanity. 

She stumbled across his soul still weeping and refusing to pass on. 

She wrapped her arms around him…

And made him her’s. 

Thousands of years pass with just the two of them, Mother changed him and taught him her ways. 

Then he came across a little punk of a boy with pink bows in his ruby red hair, sobbing his heart out over his broken body. Beaten to death by his father because he liked girly things. 

He picked up the sobbing boy and dried his tears, taking him to Mother. 

And then there were three for a time. 

Before mother felt an annoying pull and left for a while. 

She returned with a little g– boy with long white hair and soft light toned patches of skin contrasting the darker shades. 

He too became like them and they lived in peace for a time. 

Laughing. 

Bonding. 

Playing games and learning new things together. 

They were inseparable. 

But The first child had grown bored of the cosmic realm of which his mother resided after a time, and wanted to explore. 

So many universes. 

So many planets. 

He briefly appears on Xen before being chased off by some dangerously territorial proto creature. 

A few dead worlds. 

Some with fascinating life forms. He loves studying new and alien life. 

He had a brief run in with a hivemind when he was disguised as another life form, but he easily escaped by slipping into another dimension. 

Eventually he found earth. His first home. The world had moved on without him. 

Jungle had overtaken his birthplace. Good. 

He became human for a while, taking the place of a dying child and growing up again. To experience the life he was never truly given as a human. 

School

Summer

Snow

Modern foods

Video games

Friends

Movies

First love

Heart break

Military training

Active service 

Death

Discharge

College

So much college

And then…

Black Mesa

As an intern he was s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡t҉̷҉̢͖͔̹͛̌͊͘͜͢͠͡͡o҉̢̡̲͇̌͗͢͝i҉̧̯̤̙͔̑ͧ̅̔ͦ́͜͟͢͝͠c̷̶҉̵̢͚̣̻̲̬͑̑͛͐̀͜͜͜͝͡͝͠ b҉͙̺̻̥̅̎͋̕͜͝͡͞͠u̶͖̖͆̊̈́͡͡u̶͖̖͆̊̈́͡͡u̶͖̖͆̊̈́͡͡u̶͖̖͆̊̈́͡͡r҉̵҉̛̠̩̥̋ͦ̆͆͟͞͡͞͠ s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡t҉̷҉̢͖͔̹͛̌͊͘͜͢͠͡͡o҉̢̡̲͇̌͗͢͝s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡k҉̴̶̬͈̫̹͖̾̎ͭ̍̐͜͜͝͠b҉͙̺̻̥̅̎͋̕͜͝͡͞͠s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡v҉̨̊͢͠͠s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡o҉̢̡̲͇̌͗͢͝a҉͖̟̜̞̂̃̑̽͢͢͠͡n̸͐̈́͟͟͝s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡v҉̨̊͢͠͠z̷҉̲ͥ͆̿̆ͭ͞i҉̧̯̤̙͔̑ͧ̅̔ͦ́͜͟͢͝͠a҉͖̟̜̞̂̃̑̽͢͢͠͡l̶҉̰͚͖͕̍̈́̅͗̏̇͢͜͜͝s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡b҉͙̺̻̥̅̎͋̕͜͝͡͞͠x҉̣ͫͧ̕͘͜g̷̵̸̡̼̱͎͎̞ͤͬ̅͢͟͞—

And then it goes dark and the fog fades away. 

—

The bipedal form throws itself against the glass, the voice of xyr mother replacing xyr own.  **_“I lost you to that hell hole! I lost all of you! Now that you're free of it I will not lose you to some… some… sentient dimension!!”_ **

The form bangs on the glass and snarls at him, but it has no bite. It’s filled with a deep sadness. **_“Come back to me… please… I miss you…”_** the form rests its head against the glass and slides down to its knees. **_“We all miss you…”_**

A moment passes between them before Skull slowly stands, the other visage lifts its head, eyes full of hope, but all Xe does is stare sadly down at it and turn away. “I’m sorry… I’m not that person anymore. The moment Black Mesa took my memories from me… your son died. All that’s left… is me.” Xe sighs deeply. “Mourn. But move on. Please…”

Xe takes a step toward the ever fading sound of Xen’s voice.

**_“N̵҉̾͟͞͡O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝!!!”_ **

Her furious roar fills the air, cracking the glass even more. 

“ **_I҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜ W̵̶̸̻̼͉̱̄͗ͭ͟͢͢͠O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝N̵҉̾͟͞͡T҉̘͙͖̠̓ͦ͑̄͜͜͟͞ L̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞T҉̘͙͖̠̓ͦ͑̄͜͜͟͞ T҉̘͙͖̠̓ͦ͑̄͜͜͟͞H̴̶̵҉̨̡̛̼͎̫͓̒̔ͩ͜͟͠͞͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠T҉̘͙͖̠̓ͦ͑̄͜͜͟͞ C҉͓̟͇̼͕̻ͭ͌ͩ̒͘͜͡͞͠A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠V̶̝̐͟͟͝E҉̰̰͎̆͞ H̴̶̵҉̨̡̛̼͎̫͓̒̔ͩ͜͟͠͞͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠G̸҉̜̜̱̄ͩ͆͜͝͞ H̴̶̵҉̨̡̛̼͎̫͓̒̔ͩ͜͟͠͞͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠V̶̝̐͟͟͝E҉̰̰͎̆͞ Y̵̡̬͖̠̋ͫ̌ͤ̚͞͞O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝U̵̶̸̹̮̹̲̻͙̎ͪͣͦ͜͡͞͡͡!!! Y̵̡̬͖̠̋ͫ̌ͤ̚͞͞O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝U̵̶̸̹̮̹̲̻͙̎ͪͣͦ͜͡͞͡͡’R̴҉̷̨̖̮̉͑ͯ̑̋͟͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞ M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅI҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞ A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠N̵҉̾͟͞͡D҉̣͍̓̎͗͜͜ M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅI҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞ A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠L̴҉̴͙͖̞̳̜̖ͣͧ̑̑͜͞͠͞͠O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞!!! Y̵̡̬͖̠̋ͫ̌ͤ̚͞͞O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝U̵̶̸̹̮̹̲̻͙̎ͪͣͦ͜͡͞͡͡ H̴̶̵҉̨̡̛̼͎̫͓̒̔ͩ͜͟͠͞͞E҉̰̰͎̆͞A҉҉̦̣̤͔̟̩̋̿̏ͦ̈́̍͟͠R̴҉̷̨̖̮̉͑ͯ̑̋͟͠?! Y̵̡̬͖̠̋ͫ̌ͤ̚͞͞O̷̵҉̢̭͚̜̠ͫͣ͐͢͟͢͠͞͝U̵̶̸̹̮̹̲̻͙̎ͪͣͦ͜͡͞͡͡’R̴҉̷̨̖̮̉͑ͯ̑̋͟͠E҉̰̰͎̆͞ M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅI҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞!! M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅI҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞!! M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅI҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞!!M̶̶҉̳͈̺͟͢͠͠ͅI҉̡̯̺̜̅́͋̃͢͜N̵҉̾͟͞͡E҉̰̰͎̆͞!!!”_ **

Skull whips around in a flash of burning anger, rage making xyr whole body tremble. 

**_“I AM MY OWN AND I CHOOSE THIS LIFE!! NOT YOURS!!”_ **

With that, Xe charges, lowering xyr head so xyr horns hit the glass. 

It shatters. 

The tiny shards and droplets of glittery black blood explode out on the other side, like raindrops suspended in air. 

Each one reflecting a fragment of the two forms locked together. 

Teeth sunk deep into flesh. 

Claws digging into scales. 

Blood flying from wounds and filling the quad’s mouth. 

For a moment they are locked in time, unmoving. 

A loud sussiruss of voices rise from the darkness around them, getting louder and louder until Skull’s whole body aches.

Xe shuts xyr eyes. 

And then deafening silence that makes Xyr ears ring. 

**“Fine then. You’ve made your choice.”** The voice is even and cold, filled with venom and barely contained rage. 

A hand thrust itself up at the quad’s chest, claws gouging out the eye before vanishing in a puff of wispy smoke. 

**“Never return to me. Or I will kill you** **_and_ ** **that pathetic cave hag of a new mother.”**

Everything vanishes all at once. 

The body.

The mirror. 

The voice. 

And the darkness. 

And Skull is all alone in endless white. 

**_“Please… come to me…”_ **

Skull spits out a mouthful of blood before standing on shaky legs. “I’m sorry… for your loss…” Xe bows xyr head in silence for a minute, before turning and slowly limping towards the only voice left to follow. 

—

In the waking world Xen is still there in the cavern, whispering her call and humming as Xe rocks Skull’s lifeless body. It’s been a while. Longer than it took xyr other three children. But not worryingly so. Or at least Xe tries to tell xyrself that. But it’s to be expected. Skull was made by another so there has to be a tug-of-war situation going on. Right? But Xe doesn’t know much of anything about xyr creator… or about xem, really. Xyr body is easy to place and change but that eye… Xe doesn’t know how strong xyr creator’s pull is. 

All Xen can do is hold the limp body tight and call for xem in hopes Xe returns to Xer. 

The eye had started weeping after the first minute of death, thick black ichor that glitters in a rainbow of colors like a galaxy seeps out of the lids like tears, smearing against scales, fur, and Xen. 

After about five minutes, the eye slowly closes, coating itself and the lids in the ichor. 

When it opens again fifteen minutes later, the ichor had hardened and replaced the eye with a solid gem swirling with every color of the galaxy and glowing with life. The lids open all the way and the ichor smeared on them melts the flesh in place. 

The eye will never see, nor close again. 

And with that, Cadaver takes xyr first breath. 


End file.
